The Salchipapa: Quito's Enduring Street Food Classic

The salchipapa, a quintessential street food in Quito, Ecuador, has cemented its place in the city's culinary landscape, evolving significantly since its early days. Initially served in a simpler form with cubed potatoes on paper, the modern salchipapa now typically features French fries and a variety of protein options, reflecting a culinary adaptation over the decades.

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I think there are two stages in Quito with salchipapas: the first is the bucket, with the potato more cubed, and they served it to you on a sheet of paper. The current salchipapa uses potatoes in the French fry style.

For many in Quito, the salchipapa is more than just a quick meal; it's a dish steeped in nostalgia. Personal memories often revolve around trying it for the first time, perhaps after school or during casual outings. The author recalls a formative experience in 1982 near the Instituto Nacional Mejía, where salchipapas were a treat, albeit with sausages of questionable origin and fries that had sat under heat lamps. Even then, the simple combination with homemade mayonnaise and the novelty of ketchup were savored.

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We all have some memory of the salchipapa, especially of when we tried it for the first time.

Over time, the dish has seen additions of various proteins, leading to variations like papipollo (chicken) and papicarne (beef), with the potato base remaining central to its identity. The salchipapa's ubiquity means it's often encountered unexpectedly, triggering cravings that are hard to resist. This spontaneous appeal was evident at Multy Pollo, a small stall on Avenida Seis de Diciembre and Orellana, where a queue indicated its popularity.

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As I already knew how the potatoes were made, we decided to make salchipapas.

Multy Pollo, operated by brothers Jorge Morales and Wilson Flores, represents a modern take on this street food tradition. Opened two years prior, the stall emerged from the brothers' unemployment, leveraging Jorge's knowledge of potato preparation. They are noted for their quality ingredients, including fries cooked at two temperatures for crispiness and sausages with sanitary registration. Their standout dish, the papipollo, is praised for its tender, juicy, and crispy chicken, complemented by well-made sauces.

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Their potatoes are of quality. They use the technique of two-temperature cooking so they are crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside.